Combination table and desk.



C. F. SGHULZ. COMBINATION TABLE AND DESK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1911.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

a enemas-eman- 1 G. P. SGHULZ. COMBINATION TABLE AND DESK. APPLICATION FILED .nmu, 1911.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

3 SHEETB-BHEBT 2.

G. P. SGHULZ. COMBINATION TABLE AND DESK. APPLIOATIONI'ILED JANJQ, 1911.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I UNITED sT rEs PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN F. SOHULZ, OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION TABLE AND DESK.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN F. Scnunz, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Tables and Desks,'of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to convertible furniture and particularly to a combined table and desk, the primary object of the invention being the provision of such an article of furniture of a very simple and effective construction which may be readily changed, either into a desk or into a table without affecting the position of the writing materilgls or like matter carried within the des A further object of the inventionis to provide such a desk with a series of compartments attached to the cover thereof, which when the cover is raised are supported in a horizontal position and which when the cover is lowered are entirely contained and housed within the casing forming the top of the table, and furthermore in this connection to so mount said compartments that-they will be supported in a horizontal position without regard to the angular position of the lid or cover.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is shown in ing drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the desk open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of my improved table with the lid partly. raised showing the position taken by the compartment sections as the lid is being raised. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the position of the compartment sections when the lid is lowered. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the pedestal of the table, the casing forming the table top being partly in section, the lid being raised and the compartment sections being supported in a vertical position. Fig. 5 is. a. fragmentary detail sectional view of the front portion of the casing to show the accompanythe front of the casing lowered. Fig. 6 is Specification of Letters latent. I Patented Sept. 17, 1912. Application filed January 14, 1911. serial No.

indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to these drawings, the pedestal of the table. I owever, to be limited to t form of base for the table but preferably provide the table with a hollow base, square in cross section, provided with sup wings? located at the corners thereof. wall of the hollow base 2 is formed with a hinged door 4, the hollow base or pedestal thus providing a compartment for containing books, papers and the like,

- Supported upon the pedestal 2 is the easdo not wish, his particular ing 5 whichforms the table-top. This cas-- ing is of any desired depth and is provided with a bottom. 6, the side walls 7, the rear wall 8 and the front wall 9 The top of the table is preferably square in plan.

Hingedly mounted .upon the casing -5 which forms the top of the table is the lid."

or cover 1.0. This cover at its margins is formed with a downwardly extending bead 11, which when the cover is closed fits down over the walls of the casing '5, as shown in Fig. 3. The head 11 on the rear of the cover is hinged at 12 to .the rear of the casing.

Supported on the floor 6 .of the casing 5 at the rear thereof, is the transversely extending lcom artment section rigidly attached in any suitable manner to the casing. Extending diagonally across the ends of the compartment section 13 are the metallic bars 14 which are rigidly attached to the section 13. I provide a plurality of compartment 8661210118 and have illustrated three of said sections, designated respectively 13, 15 and 16. Each of these sections 15 and 16, as well. as the section 13, is provided onally extending reinforcing bars 14. The

2 designates- 13 which is with the diagforward upper edges of the compartment i sections are cut away as at 17 so as to permit the. sections to readily pass each other when being raised, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Attached to each upper'rear corner of the section 13 is a longitudinally extending metallic bar 18 which is pivotally'attached at its other end as at 19 to the upper rear corner of the section 16 and preferably the upper rear end of the reinforcing bar 14 thereof. These bars 18 are also pivotally attached at 19 to the upper rear corners of the section 15. foward lower corner of the section 13, and preferably to the forward and lower ends of the reinforcing bars 14 thereof, is the metallic bar 20 which is pivotally attached at 21 and 22 to the forward lower corners. of the sections 15 and 16 and preferably to the forward lower ends of the reinforcing bars 14 thereof.

It will be seen from Fig. 6 thatthe section 13 is deeper than the compartment sections 15 and 16 and that thus whenthe bars 18 and 20 are in a horizontal position the sections 15 and 16 will be raised slightly above the bed or floor of the casing 5, and that thus a space will be left between said compartment sections 15 and 16 and the floor 6. i In order to support the sections 15 and 16 in this raised position, the casing 5 is provided with oppositely disposed lat-' eral strips 23 upon which the longitudinal bars 20 rest when the compartment sections are in their lowered position. A space is thus afforded between the compartment secment sections to compartment 5.

'ta-ined when the tions 15 and 16 and the bottomof the casing in which papers, blotters, etc, may be con- .sections are closed. The upper ends of the longitudinal rods 18 are provided with chains 24 which connect the upper ends of the rods 18 with the inner face of the lid 10, as illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be obvious that inasmuch as the lid 10 and the rods 18 have not a common pivot, it is necessary to provide for a relative shifting between the rods 18 and the lid, while at the same time connecting the rods 18 so that they and the compartment sections will rise or fall with the lid. The chain 24 is sufliciently flexible to permit this shifting of the parts while yet causing the compart move with the lid. A chain 25 may be'attached to the side wall of the and to the lid 10 in order to check the top from going back too far, and for preventing any inward movement of the lid and the compartment sectionswhen the lid is raised, I preferably provide the rod 26 which is-pivoted at 27 (see Fig. 4) and extremity with a j tical side members and a vertical rear memwhich is formed at its hook 28 wh1ch engages over a stud 29 projecting inward from one of the side moldings 11, as illustrated in Fig. 4. A stop 30 is ,carried by one of the sides 7 upon which the rod 26 rests when folded down into'the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. .It will be seen that when the parts are in their lowered position, the compartment sections are horizontal and that they remain in this horizontal position while the lid is being raised and when it is raised to its vertical position. Thus there is no possible chance of disturbing the papers contained within the compartments as here would be if the compartment sections were attached rigidly to the lid.

Pivotally attached to the l ,while when raised it has all of the usual writing desk.

In order to provide for lowering the front of the casing 5 so that the interior of the casing may be used for writing and like purposes, I preferably hinge the front 9 of the. casing as at 31. When the lid is lowered, the bead 11 on the front margin of the lid extends over the member 9 which forms the front of the casing and holds it in its vertical position." When the lid is raised, however, the portion 9 may be turned down to'a horizontal position. In, order that the bottom 6 of the casing and the interior face of the portion 9 may lie in the same plane when the portion 9 is turned down, I preferably angularly cut away the forward edge of the bottom 6 as at 32 and angularly cut away ,the lower edge of the member 9 as at 33. Thus when the member '9 is in its vertical position, the lower edge of the member 9 'Wlll be in alinement with the lower edge of the sides 7 and the rear member 8 of the casing, while when the front member 9 is turned down to a horizontal position, the cut away portions will fit against each other and the interiorv face of the desk will be entirely flush from its rear to its front-edge. 33 designates a limitin chain.

It will be seen that my desk constructed as above described may be made-very 'orna-' mental and that it need not necessarily have the peculiar design illustrated in the drawings. The corners of the casing are preferably provided with the depending moldings 34 in order that the cutaway portions 33 and 32 of the front of the table may be concealed. I do not, however, wish to limit myself to this feature.

My combined table and desk is very convenient; is adapted to contain writing ma terials as well as business papers; there is nodanger of the writing materials being. shifted when the lidis .raised or lowered; the movement is very easy and when closed it forms a very ornamental and useful table, the capabilities What I claim is: A pedestal having a horizontaltop, verzontal top, a stationary receptacle open at the front and supported upon the horizontal top at the rear thereof and spaced at the ends fromsaid vertical side members, a plurality of movable receptacles, coupling bars pivoted to said stationary receptacle at its lower forward corners and likewise to the lower forward corners of said movable receptacles, and other coupling bars; pivoted to said stationary rece tacle at the rear upper-corners thereofan likewise to the rear upper corners of said movable receptacles,

said forward coupling bars resting upon said bearing strips when in lowered position and holding the movable receptacles spaced from the horizontal top, a top hinged to said vertical rear' member and bearing upon said vertical side members and folding front member and over said folded and station- 10 a' receptacle when in lowered position.

in testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN F. SCHULZ. 1.) 8.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR F. HEARL, WALTER F. HEARL. 

